Hosakawa Tito
01-09-2003, 18:51
The year is 1233, and out of the east a low rumble approaches the Turkish province of Khazar. The volume increases as the ground begins to shake, the leaves of the trees tremble and the sound resonates off the hills. An ominous dust cloud can be seen, moving up the valley like a dark boiling fog. From out of the dust cloud the Sultans lookout espies the cause, the dreaded Death on Horseback, the Mongols have arrived 14,000 strong, to claim Khazar for their own. The lookout lights the signal fire and races on horseback to warn the garrison at Mohi Castle. From the hills signal fires blaze down the valley to the shores of the Black Sea, the Mongols are coming. Riders gallop off to Kiev, and Georgia with the alarm, but it is too late to save the garrison at Mohi Castle. The Mongols swarm the brave defenders and take the only defense of Khazar province before the sun reaches it's midpoint in the sky.
Word reaches Sultan Suleyman two days later at his palace in Constantinople. The old lion is outraged, but realizes he is now too old, 62, to lead his army to reclaim his province. The Sultan also knows that none of his worthless sons are up to the task, the greatest threat to his kingdom. He calls upon his only hope, his Chief Eunuch, General Murad Gazi who is stationed in Kiev to lead the Sultan's army.
General Murad Gazi gathers his forces, 4300 including all the mercenaries he could find in the taverns and brothels of Kiev to confront the Horde. The two armies meet south of Mohi Castle in the foothills that lead to the Black Sea.
Despite being the defender, the Mongols go on the attack in disdain of such a pitifully small force. What fool would dare defy the Golden Horde at almost 3-1 odds?
General Gazi positions his troops on a small knoll above a tiny gathering of shepherd's huts as the Mongols confidently advance up the gentle incline, grinning like wolves before a slaughter. The Mongol horse archers start raining arrows on the Saracen Infantry as the Mongol Heavy Cavalry feint and manuever to the left flank of the defenders near a copse of woods. From out of the woods the Sultan's Futuwwa archers rain arrows on the surprised Mongol Heavy Cavalry. The Mongols charge the wood and are met by Ghazi Infantry, who take a terrible toll on the Mongol Cav in the trees. The Mongols are bloodied and retreat in confusion, but on comes wave after wave of Mongol horsemen.
After being beaten back six times the Mongols hang back across the valley, daring the Turks to come to them. General Gazi obliges them and after calling up fresh units manuevers to the right flank of the Mongols. The agile Mongol horsemen slip to the left of the plodding Saracen Infantry and gain the high ground just vacated by General Gazi. Now the Turks must advance up the hill in the face of Mongol arrows with the prospect of a charge of heavy cavalry when they near the top. Onward the Saracen Infantry advances toward the top of the hill, and the waiting Mongol Heavy Cavalry. As the heavy cav and Saracen Infantry crash together, from out of the trees on the Mongol left flank, comes several units of Gazi Infantry and Ghulam Cavalry that were left hiding in ambush. The Mongol left flank crumbles and the entire Mongol force on the hilltop routs in a panic. The Sultan's Ghulam Cav units chase the Mongols across the valley, but stray too far, and are themselves routed by another wave of Mongols entering the valley.
General Gazi then makes a mistake that almost results in the destruction of the entire Turkish army. He orders his tired infantry to the valley floor in a desperate bid to save his Ghulam Cavalry. He realizes his mistake just as the Mongols crest the knoll that leads into the valley. The Mongol reinforcements are just too quick and they swarm the exhausted Turkish infantry, pinning them on the flat ground of the valley, perfect cavalry killing ground for the best cavalry in the world.
The Turks are in a desperate situation, exhausted troops, slow reinforcements, facing a fresh foe that moves like the wind. The General orders a controlled retreat back up the hill, leaving behind a delaying force of one unit of crossbowmen lead by Baraka Sokollu, a unit of MuwahidFoot lead by Inal al Aziz, a unit of Saracen Infantry lead by Kilij Burji, and a detachment of mercenary Billmen lead by Louis de Valois. The Mongols swarmed these four valiant units like angry hornets, but these brave men held on and allowed the rest of the ragtag army to reach the safety of the trees and call upon fresh reinforcements. Not a single warrior of that rearguard survived the Mongol onslaught. May Allah bless them for their bravery and sacrifice.
The Mongols now advanced on the wooded hilltop to finish off the remnant of the Turkish army. Six more waves of Mongols attacked the beleaguered Saracens, and six times they were thrown back after desperate fighting in the forest. General Gazi then called for the last three units of his Ghulam Cavalry along with the remainder of his Armenian Heavy Cavalry. As the Mongols advanced, General Gazi sensed the moment was nigh and ordered the charge. The Turks bounded down the hill on weary legs screaming "Allah Ahkbar" and crashed into the Mongol line. After several minutes of frenzied combat the Mongols broke for the final time. The Ghulam and Armenian Cavalry chased the Mongols right out of Khazar. The chroniclers say that you can walk across the province of Khazar on the bones of the dead and your feet will never touch the ground. So it is written.
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This is an account of my longest battle ever in a SP campaign. It took a little over three hours to complete. The Mongols didn't split their attack in Armenia and Khazar like they usually do. They only concentrated on Khazar this time.
Total enemy killed - 5780
Total enemy routed - 3931
Total enemy captured - 3457
Standout units:
The rearguard;
MuwahidFoot - 104 kills
52 losses
Billmen - 224 kills
60 losses
Crossbows - 91 kills
54 losses
Saracen Inf.- 204 kills
100 losses
My forest fighters;
Futuwwa archers - 273 kills
45 losses
Ghazi Infantry - 230 kills
44 losses
Halbadiers - 126 kills
9 losses
Word reaches Sultan Suleyman two days later at his palace in Constantinople. The old lion is outraged, but realizes he is now too old, 62, to lead his army to reclaim his province. The Sultan also knows that none of his worthless sons are up to the task, the greatest threat to his kingdom. He calls upon his only hope, his Chief Eunuch, General Murad Gazi who is stationed in Kiev to lead the Sultan's army.
General Murad Gazi gathers his forces, 4300 including all the mercenaries he could find in the taverns and brothels of Kiev to confront the Horde. The two armies meet south of Mohi Castle in the foothills that lead to the Black Sea.
Despite being the defender, the Mongols go on the attack in disdain of such a pitifully small force. What fool would dare defy the Golden Horde at almost 3-1 odds?
General Gazi positions his troops on a small knoll above a tiny gathering of shepherd's huts as the Mongols confidently advance up the gentle incline, grinning like wolves before a slaughter. The Mongol horse archers start raining arrows on the Saracen Infantry as the Mongol Heavy Cavalry feint and manuever to the left flank of the defenders near a copse of woods. From out of the woods the Sultan's Futuwwa archers rain arrows on the surprised Mongol Heavy Cavalry. The Mongols charge the wood and are met by Ghazi Infantry, who take a terrible toll on the Mongol Cav in the trees. The Mongols are bloodied and retreat in confusion, but on comes wave after wave of Mongol horsemen.
After being beaten back six times the Mongols hang back across the valley, daring the Turks to come to them. General Gazi obliges them and after calling up fresh units manuevers to the right flank of the Mongols. The agile Mongol horsemen slip to the left of the plodding Saracen Infantry and gain the high ground just vacated by General Gazi. Now the Turks must advance up the hill in the face of Mongol arrows with the prospect of a charge of heavy cavalry when they near the top. Onward the Saracen Infantry advances toward the top of the hill, and the waiting Mongol Heavy Cavalry. As the heavy cav and Saracen Infantry crash together, from out of the trees on the Mongol left flank, comes several units of Gazi Infantry and Ghulam Cavalry that were left hiding in ambush. The Mongol left flank crumbles and the entire Mongol force on the hilltop routs in a panic. The Sultan's Ghulam Cav units chase the Mongols across the valley, but stray too far, and are themselves routed by another wave of Mongols entering the valley.
General Gazi then makes a mistake that almost results in the destruction of the entire Turkish army. He orders his tired infantry to the valley floor in a desperate bid to save his Ghulam Cavalry. He realizes his mistake just as the Mongols crest the knoll that leads into the valley. The Mongol reinforcements are just too quick and they swarm the exhausted Turkish infantry, pinning them on the flat ground of the valley, perfect cavalry killing ground for the best cavalry in the world.
The Turks are in a desperate situation, exhausted troops, slow reinforcements, facing a fresh foe that moves like the wind. The General orders a controlled retreat back up the hill, leaving behind a delaying force of one unit of crossbowmen lead by Baraka Sokollu, a unit of MuwahidFoot lead by Inal al Aziz, a unit of Saracen Infantry lead by Kilij Burji, and a detachment of mercenary Billmen lead by Louis de Valois. The Mongols swarmed these four valiant units like angry hornets, but these brave men held on and allowed the rest of the ragtag army to reach the safety of the trees and call upon fresh reinforcements. Not a single warrior of that rearguard survived the Mongol onslaught. May Allah bless them for their bravery and sacrifice.
The Mongols now advanced on the wooded hilltop to finish off the remnant of the Turkish army. Six more waves of Mongols attacked the beleaguered Saracens, and six times they were thrown back after desperate fighting in the forest. General Gazi then called for the last three units of his Ghulam Cavalry along with the remainder of his Armenian Heavy Cavalry. As the Mongols advanced, General Gazi sensed the moment was nigh and ordered the charge. The Turks bounded down the hill on weary legs screaming "Allah Ahkbar" and crashed into the Mongol line. After several minutes of frenzied combat the Mongols broke for the final time. The Ghulam and Armenian Cavalry chased the Mongols right out of Khazar. The chroniclers say that you can walk across the province of Khazar on the bones of the dead and your feet will never touch the ground. So it is written.
------------------------------------------------------------
This is an account of my longest battle ever in a SP campaign. It took a little over three hours to complete. The Mongols didn't split their attack in Armenia and Khazar like they usually do. They only concentrated on Khazar this time.
Total enemy killed - 5780
Total enemy routed - 3931
Total enemy captured - 3457
Standout units:
The rearguard;
MuwahidFoot - 104 kills
52 losses
Billmen - 224 kills
60 losses
Crossbows - 91 kills
54 losses
Saracen Inf.- 204 kills
100 losses
My forest fighters;
Futuwwa archers - 273 kills
45 losses
Ghazi Infantry - 230 kills
44 losses
Halbadiers - 126 kills
9 losses